Thursday, August 10, 2017
MBTA Rejects Monopoles Contract
Today, I released the following statement regarding the decision by the MBTA to reject a proposal to install 320 monopoles on commuter rail lines.
Boston- Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement regarding the actions today by the MBTA to terminate the license agreement with InMOTION Wireless Inc’s parent company BAI which would have placed hundreds of cell towers across 80 communities along Commuter Rail lines:
“The action today of the MBTA has protected the interests of communities along the commuter rail system while continuing a process that will expand WiFi access for commuters.
I appreciate the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board’s responsiveness to the concerns that I and 13 of my colleagues from the House and Senate articulated in our July 28th letter.
Had they been carried out, the terms of the 2014 license would have locked us into aging technology that imposed unnecessary hardships on communities. Seeking a better path forward makes sense for everyone involved.
The open process conducted recently by the Fiscal and Management Control Board allowed all of us to weigh in; and our concerns were taken seriously. Board members provided multiple opportunities for public engagement at their June and July meetings and they should be commended.
Ultimately, our collaborative efforts contributed to reshaping this effort and the decision today to seek a better plan will benefit host communities, and commuters and better align efforts to improve WiFi service with the needs of the rail system.”
